The best covers of Bob Dylan songs

This has been a popular Bob Dylan song to cover. The best is perhaps still from this legendary folk trio. Released three weeks after Dylan put his original version out, Peter, Paul, and Mary, under the same management as the legendary singer-songwriter, made it to No. 2 on the Billboard chart with its rendition of one of the greatest protest songs of all time.

From the album by the same name, Baez enjoyed critical and commercial success with this cover. Baez, known for her quality covers, offered her folk spin to the song, yet it also showcased a hint of pop that allowed her to enjoy more mainstream success. Her version is also significantly shorter than the one Dylan recorded in 1965 but did not officially release until the early 1990s.

The mutual respect between Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash was special. Dylan's version originally came out in 1964 on Another Side of Bob Dylan. One year later, Cash and June Carter released their rendition on his Orange Blossom Special record. The song was another hit for Cash, showing the musical chemistry he had with his future wife. It was also featured in the 2005 hit Cash-biopic Walk the Line.

Released weeks after Dylan's original version, this cover of "Mr. Tambourine Man" might be the song The Byrds are best known for. The Byrds' rendition went to No. 1 on the Billboard chart and gained the band international popularity. The group's version offered a more pop sound for radio and remained a classic song.

Critics and hardcore Dylan fans often regard Hendrix's version of this rock classic as arguably the best cover of any track in the folk legend's catalog. Even among Hendrix's stable of memorable and beloved tunes, his take on "All Along the Watchtower" is widely regarded as some of his best work. It's another expectational guitar performance for the legendary entertainer. 

Sometimes, a cover is released before the singer-songwriter puts out their original version. That's the case with The Band, a legendary outfit itself, releasing its rendition three years before Dylan recorded and unleashed his own. Many critics believe The Band's take is more memorable, perhaps because it came first and is consistently associated with that act. Having Dylan (along with Ringo Starr and Ronnie Wood) join The Band performing during The Last Waltz only added to the song's legacy.

These English rockers enjoyed much success during the 1960s and '70s (as Manfred Mann's Earth Band) through their cover songs. Another example was found on the group's fifth and final studio album, Mighty Gravy! Another one of Dylan's beloved story songs, too. Many have covered the song over the years, but Manfred Mann's version is worthy of consistent praise.

Dylan recorded this tune with former Beatle George Harrison — making for one of the better collaborations of all time. The late Olivia Newton-John enjoyed some massive international success with her country-pop version of the track. Her rendition landed in the top 10 in the United Kingdom and was a top-25 hit in the United States. This version might be more recognized than the original.

This was a favorite cover of the band in the early days of Welcome to the Jungle and became a staple at Guns N' Roses live sets. Then, a widely popular studio version was included on Use Your Illusion II. Also, one of the more memorable moments during 1992's Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert was G N' R's version of this song.

Dylan's anti-Cold War track became a Pearl Jam cover favorite almost immediately upon singer Eddie Vedder joining the band ahead of the grunge explosion of the early 1990s. This particular offering is from when Vedder, accompanied by Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, took part in The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration honoring Dylan's first 30 years as a recording artist. 

Another rendition from The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration. The truth is, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers had been covering one of Dylan's most beloved songs in concert since the mid-1980s. Always a crowd favorite, Petty's take is a little faster but as joyous as the original. On this particular night, fellow music legends Booker T. Jones and Donald "Duck" Dunn jammed along with Petty and Co.

Jeff Buckley could do no wrong, whether recording covers or singing his own songs. One of his better offerings is a version of this Blonde On Blonde classic. It was part of his Live at Sin-é record. It's also an example of Buckley's talent on the guitar. Yet, Buckley's soulful, angelic voice is at the forefront and a gentle reminder of life taken much too early. What could have been?

Harris' special version of this underrated Dylan classic from the early 1980s was included on her Wrecking Ball album in the '90s. She and Sheryl Crow played the song at the funeral of friend and legend Johnny Cash. Harris' take doesn't veer too much from the spirit of Dylan's original, which makes it one cover we can listen to repeatedly without tiring.

If there was ever a band to cover one of Dylan's most popular songs, it only makes sense that Rolling Stones would be the one to do it. From the band's Stripped record, the Stones deliver an above-average performance of a tune they were seemingly meant to sing. Full disclosure: There have been plenty of strong covers of "Like A Rolling Stone," but we can't have a list like this list without the Stones doing a song with their name in it.

"Tangled Up in Blue" is one song even the most casual Dylan fans, or rock followers, can recognize. The Indigo Girls have put out some notable covers, and this might be at the top of the list. This version was featured on the duo's 1995 live offering 1200 Curfews, but Amy Ray and Emily Saliers had been paying homage to one of their musical idols by playing the song in concert for years prior.

One of Dylan's most notable blues tracks. Rage turned it up to offer a heavy, thunderous approach that was one of the highlights of the band's 2000 album of covers, Renegades. This cover features some of Tom Morello's best guitar work while offering that signature Rage sound. The RATM version was also featured at the end of the 2010 Will Ferrell-Mark Wahlberg comedy hit The Other Guys.

"Isis" was a ballad from his 1976 Desire record, another No. 1 album for Dylan. Jack White kicked up the distortion to cover the song during the early 2000s. Critics have used words such as "fierce" and "blistering" to describe The White Stripes' version, which reportedly turned Dylan into a big fan of the band. 

Another great track from Dylan's Desire LP. Dylan teamed with the aforementioned Emmylou Harris for a duet on this track. Plant's version, meanwhile, is all him as featured on his cover-heavy Dreamland album. Plant's rendition harkens back to some of Led Zeppelin's more stripped-down work, where the legendary frontman could show off his vocal talent. 

This is one of Dylan's tracks released on 1997's Time Out of Mind record. More than a decade later, Adele would give it a go on her smash debut album, 19, and she did not disappoint. It proved to be a top-30 hit for Adele, who used this song to help introduce the world to her immense talent.

Cyrus lent her talents to the Bob Dylan catalog via the charity project Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International. Thanks to her father, Miley has long honored legends from rock, country, and folk. This is a well-delivered take that earned Cyrus (with help from Johnzo West) plenty of attention and praise.